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Human Nature and Religious Diversity: Does Religious Diversity Have a Common Anthropological Basis?
March 18 @ 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
Human Nature and Religious Diversity:
Does Religious Diversity Have a Common Anthropological Basis?
Date/Time: March 18 (TUE), 2025, 14:30 – 15:45 (HK time)
Language: English
Venue: Hybrid @ ZOOM & Rm 201, May Hall, HKU (Registration is required.)
Register for In-person participation: https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eLPjW447lQn0Yse
Register for online participation: https://hku.zoom.us/meeting/register/6LJbU_-IQ0SfTSljgfZ4sA
ABSTRACT
In a world that is growing ever closer together, the question also arises as to whether the many different religions in the common world have a common anthropological basis. What connects the religions of the world with each other in the midst of all their diversity? Is there an anthropological theory of the pluralism of religions? And what would such a theory have to look like in which the different religions are conceptually linked?
The lecture explores this question by first (1) concentrating on the diversity of religions, which are an important part of cultures. After this praise of religious plurality, the lecture then shows (2) what a theory of religious pluralism cannot look like. Again using the example of religion, it is then explained (3) how religion and religious diversity are to be understood when they are considered from a human and thus anthropological point of view. A conception is then presented (4) by the German philosopher and theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher, showing how religious diversity, the plurality of religions, can be understood conceptually on the basis of common anthropological insights.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Prof. Hans-Peter Grosshans is a distinguished German theologian and philosopher of religion, renowned for his expertise in hermeneutics, methodology and philosophy of science. Currently, he is professor (chair) for Systematic Theology at University of Münster, Germany. He also serves as Guest Professor (2024-2025) at the Institute of Sino-Christian Studies, Hong Kong.
After studying theology and philosophy at universities of Tübingen and Oxford, he did his doctorate under the supervision of Eberhard Jüngel at the Faculty of Protestant Theology at the University of Tübingen.
From 1990 to 2002 he taught at the Faculty of Protestant Theology at the University of Tübingen. He then held teaching positions at the theological faculties of the universities of Hamburg, Munich and Zürich before in 2008 he took over his present position as professor (chair) for Systematic Theology and director of the Institute for Ecumenical Theology at the Faculty of Protestant Theology of University of Münster. From 2016–2020 he was dean of his faculty. He is the present president of the German Society for Philosophy of Religion.
ORGANIZERS
ASIAR Research Cluster, HKIHSS, HKU;
CO-ORGANIZERS
Faith and Global Engagement, HKIHSS, HKU;
Institute of Sino-Christian Studies, HK.